The Bligh State Government had failed to properly plan its solar power feed-in scheme with some homeowners now being rejected because local distribution networks were unable to cope.
Shadow Minister for Energy and Water Utilities Steve Dickson told state parliament last night that some homeowners with solar PV panels were being rejected for inclusion in the government's feed-in solar scheme because local distribution networks were unable to cope.
"It's another example of a government that fails to plan while running with the spin about being clean and green," Mr Dickson said.
Mr Dickson said he'd been advised by the Minister that some homeowners were being rejected because local transformers had not been upgraded.
"It seems that areas where the installation of solar PV systems reaches 30 per cent penetration, local transformers may be unable to cope."
Mr Dickson said he was approached by a local homeowner whose application to install a 10 kilowatt solar power system was initially knocked back. But after he (Dickson) wrote to the Minister he was advised Energex would now approve the connection to the grid and data would be used to develop a position on the number of PV systems that could be connected in particular areas.
"That says to me the Minister and the government have no idea. They've rushed out with the solar program without properly checking on whether distribution systems can actually handle the uptake."